Basic Focaccia (with several flavour options below)
Ingredients:
- 600g plain flour (plus a bit extra for dusting)
- 2 tsp. instant yeast
- 570ml warm water
- 7 tbsp. olive oil (plus more for drizzling overtop)
- 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
- 1 small handful of rosemary sprigs
Method:
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- Heat your woodfire pizza oven until it’s sitting at a temperature of about 210°C.
- While waiting for your oven to heat, add flour, yeast, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt into a bowl and mix. Once well incorporated, add half of the water and stir. Continue to add water, little by little, until dough begins to come together into a ball (you may need slightly more or less water that written).
- Transfer the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead with the heels of your hands for about five minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl. Place your ball of dough into the bowl and roll it around in the bowl to ensure the outside of the dough and the inside of the bowl are well-coated.
- Cover the bowl in plastic wrap or a damp towel a d place it in a warm spot to rise. Allow the dough to rise for about 1-1.5 hours, until it has about doubled in size.
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- Lightly oil the bottom of a 33x23x5cm baking pan. Transfer your risen dough onto the baking pan and begin punching down the dough to deflate it. Use your fingers to press the dough evenly around the pan. Cover the dough with a slightly damp kitchen towel for another 20-30 minutes. When ready, pressing your fingertip into the dough should leave an impression.
- Press your fingertips all over the top of the focaccia to create dimples all over the surface. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the focaccia and then tip the pan back and forth to ensure the oil is distributed pretty evenly into the indentations.
- Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top of your focaccia and allow the dough to rise for an additional 15 minutes.
- Place focaccia in your wood fired oven for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. When you remove from the oven, while still hot, stick small sprigs of rosemary into the dimples in the bread and allow to cool.
Flavour Options
1. Roasted Tomato & Onion
Thinly slice a Roma (or similar) tomato and a yellow onion. After dimpling focaccia and drizzling olive oil into the dimples, spread a thin layer of tomato and onion over top of the focaccia. Drizzle a bit of extra olive oil over top before placing in the oven.
2. KalamataOlive, AniseSeed, and LemonZest
Halve and pitkalamataolives. After dimpling focaccia and drizzling olive oil, place olives cut side down all over the focaccia. Sprinkle anise seeds and lemon zest over top and bake as directed.
3. Red onion
Thinly slice two red onions and sauté in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. After dimpling focaccia and drizzling olive oil, evenly distribute red onion over top and bake as directed.
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